Guard for freight-car covers



(No Model.)-

R.. H. WYMAN. GUARD FOR FREIGHT OAR oovnns.

No. 312,787. v Patentgd Feb. 24,1885.

Inventor: 77" iinesses:

RicharJK Myrnan,

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UNITED STATES PATENT 'FFICEQ RICHARD H. WYMAN, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

GUARD FOR FREIGHT-CAR COVERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,787, dated February 24-, 1885.

Application filed August .27, 1584. (N0 model.) 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. WYMAN, of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guards for Movable Freight-Car Covers, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side View of said guard as applied to asemi-cylindrical movable car-cover. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, showing said guard when folded upon the cover. Fig. 3 is a modification of said construction, showing the application of a flexible chain or wire rope. Fig. 4 is an end View of a still further modification, having a lateral instead of a longitudinal movement; and Fig. 5 is a transverse sect'ronal View of one-half of a cancover, showing the position of said guard when the cover is open, and its application as aprotector of said car from being jammed 0r inj ured while in that position.

Like letters in the different figures indicate like parts.

In the use of cylindrical car-covers there is danger of accident to train-men, in that they are apt to step from the running-board upon the rounded portion of the cover,and thus fall from the car. My object is to overcome this danger by providing a guard or rail upon one or both sides of the running-board, which guard may be so folded or disposed with relation to the cover as not to interfere with the opening of the latter, or to occupy such space in connection therewith, when open, as to render it objectionable. A further object is to so adjust said guard that if desired, when the cover is open, it may serveto prevent the latter from being injured by the backing of vehicles against it, or from other causes,which said devices are hereinafter more fully described.

My improved guards have special reference and are particularly applicable to the forms of movable car-covers heretofore patented by me in Letters Patent No. 292,192, dated January 22, 1884, and modifications thereof described in subsequent patents and pending applications.

In the drawings, AA represent the sections of a movable car-cover, and B B the runningboard, which is formed in two parts adapted to meet in the middle of the car when said cover is clo'ed. Pivoted by means of suitable bolts or screws, 0 c c a, secured to the outside of said running-board B, are posts or bars 0 v G C 0, preferably made of iron, and adapted to stand in an upright position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, upon the upper ends of which said supports 0 are pivotally secured, at o a o c, connectingbars O C", so adjusted laterally, and having their supports so placed as to permit the same to pass each other when moved longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 2, one of said supports, 0, at the middle of the car, and one of the connectingbars, 0, being bent or notched, as at c c", Fig. 1, to permit said guard to be folded closelyand evenly upon the top of the cover, as in Fig. 2, said bends forming offsets to prevent contact with one of the middle bolts, 0, over which the same is folded. Braces D D are pivoted to the end supports, 0 0, Fig. 1, at d d, the opposite ends of said braces being flattened or otherwise adapted to engage with the teeth of suitable ratchet-plates, E E, rigidly secured to the top of the car, or upon the running-board B. Said end plates, 0 O, are preferably provided with handles 0 c, for movingsaid guards,which are intended to fold toward each other and lie evenly at the side of the running-board.

Any suit-able lock or device may be adopted for securing the middle posts at the top, and preventing the same from falling down when raised to an upright position. Upon unlocking or detaching said central connection and raising the braces D D, respectively, out of engagement with the ratchets E E, the guard may be folded, as shown, so that upon opening the cover said guard is compactly disposed at the side of the car. A modification of said device is shown in Fig. 3, which consists of two upright posts, 0 O, rigidly secured to the frame-work of the car, and independent of the movable cover, said posts being provided with eyes at the top, respectively, to which a chain or wire rope, C, may be detachably secured by means of a hook, 0. Upon loading the car one end of said chain may be detached from the hook c" and hung upon the hook 0 upon the opposite post. A further modification of said device is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, said posts 0 therein being pivoted. at a, so as to permit them to move laterally, instead of longitudinally, as in Fig. 1. A brace, D, is pivoted at the top to admit of a corresponding movement, while the plates E are placed laterally and somewhat away from the runningboard, as shown in Fig. 4. A shoulder, 0, upon the posts 0 prevents their movement in an opposite direction.

F, Fig. 5, indicates the box of an open car, to the frame or sill F of which is secured brackets G and H, respectively, the former upon the side and the latter upon the bottom of said sill.

Upon disengaging the bar D from its ratchet Ethe posts 0 are caused to lie against the cover, and when the latter is opened assume the relative position shown in said figure, the

braces D in the meantime being thrust through" suitable slots in the ends of the brackets G and H, while a pin, 71, in the latter passes into or through the brace D and holds the same rigidly in place. bar connecting the top of the posts 0, in lieu of the bars 0 Fig. 1, serves as a guard while the cove A is in the position shown to prevent said cover from being bent or otherwise injured by the backing of wagons or other vehicles against it while unloading the car, or from like causes. For this purpose I prefer to make said top rail of angle T-iron or iron pipe, to give it the proper strength. Said guards may be placed upon both sides of the runway, if preferred; but it is believed that a single rail will prove sufficient.

It will thus be seen that the Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a movable railwaycar cover, of a guard upon one or both sides of the running-board, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a movable railwaycar cover, ofa folding or detachable guard upon one or both sides of the running-board, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination, with a movable railway-car cover, of a folding guard-rail made in two or more sections supported upon posts pivoted or hinged at the side of the runway, and means forlocking and bracing said posts, whereby the same maybe supported in an up right position, or the rails moved longitudinall y toward each other and folded flatly upon said cover, substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

The combination of a guard consisting of rails 0' U, pivotally secured to posts 0 C (l C. 5 hinged or pivoted upon one or both sides of the running-board of a movable sectional carcover, with braces l) D, or their equivalents, and said movable covers, substantially as described.

FLETCHER, BAKER. 

